Revelations
by alwaysnathanhaley
Summary: Brooke Davis is determined to make it known that Mayor Dan Scott killed his own brother, Keith Scott on the day of the Tree Hill High shooting. But proving it seems harder than she thought.
1. Chapter 1

Brooke handed her notes to Peyton. She scanned the first page. "Brooke, we can't print this, you know that. Please tell me you have something I can use for this week's issue."

"Peyton you said when I was given my own space on the paper I could write whatever I wanted."

"Brooke, you're the fashion editor. This does not scream new boots and a miniskirt. This is serious stuff."

"And we are a newspaper. Shouldn't we be writing about real issues and not what goes on in the locker rooms. Peyton, I know my facts, you know me, I don't hand you a story unless I know it's truth and I can back it up."

"You do realize if I even breathe this story near Turner's office, you and I both will be expelled, and you probably worse since it's your story."

"Then I'll take the heat, people should know what happened. The real story, not the story that came out of Dan's mouth."

"Dan Scott, the mayor and Lucas' father, smart move Brooke."

"If you don't print it, I'll find someone who will."

"I can see it now. Someone is just itching to print a story that Dan Scott killed his own brother and not some troubled student on the day of the school shooting. Brooke this is just a story. The facts have been run over with a fine tooth comb, Keith was shot by Jimmy Edwards, not Dan. Why can't you let it go."

"I have the facts Peyton, Dan should get what's coming to him."

"Sure, I'll run the story and in five seconds we're kicked out of school and never be able to show our faces anywhere ever again. Do you really want that."

Lucas came in. "I could hear you two in the hallway."

Peyton gasps and turned to look at him. "What did you hear?"

"Mostly muffled voices but there was definite yelling. What are you two yelling about?"

"Someone gave me a story that I can't print."

"This is over a story, just print the story if it's that big of a deal."

Brooke pointed to Lucas. "See, he knows what's really going on." She packed up her things, "but I guess it doesn't matter. I'll have some crappy, what is on the lunch menu tomorrow for you, miss editor in chief."

Lucas turned to Peyton. "So it's her story."

"Yeah, she's been trying to get it printed for the longest time, and I just can't do it."

"It's obvious she's passionate about it, why can't you print it?"

She looked into his innocent, finally happy eyes. "Because it would hurt a lot of people. And as the editor, I can't let that happen."

"What about Turner, he might approve."

"Since I almost lost my position as Editor because of the story I printed about Haley losing her spot on the cheerleading squad because of Nathan, I try to play it safe."

"I guess you have a point. So…game time?"

"I know I said I would walk with you, but there is something I have to do first."

"Oh, well I'll be looking for you." He kissed her cheek and walked out.

She let out the air she holding in. She looked at Brooke's notes again, slamming them into her bag and locking up the classroom.

Peyton ran up beside Brooke. "Are we at least going to speak to each other."

"As your cheer captain I guess we have to."

"As a friend?"

Brooke stopped and faced Peyton. "You know that the story is not bogus, it's the truth. Why won't you believe me?"

"Brooke, it's not a matter if I believe you or not. It's what Principal Turner would say and Dan, he's the mayor and can seriously do some damage."

"You didn't answer my question. Do you believe me that it's the truth."

"You've mentioned there are witnesses. Who?" Brooke hesitated. "Or is this one of those 'they want to remain silent' sort of things."

"I promised it would be anonymous."

"An anonymous witness to a Dan Scott killing his brother. Really Brooke, are you listening to that sentence."

"It's not as far fetched as you're making it out to be."

"Really because I can't see how Dan could kill his own brother. I know Dan has done a lot of bad things, but actually ending Keith's life. It's something that is not even….I can't print it and that's final." Peyton handed her the notes. "You left them on the desk.""Thanks. I don't want these to get into the wrong hands."

"Brooke, off the record, when did you start getting these facts about Dan and the shooting?"

"After midnight madness I got a text to meet someone at my car in thirty minutes. I was scared, of course. But since Rachel gave me the pepper spray, I didn't feel so bad. I walked to my car and the story was written out, plain as day. It was like a painted picture of Dan killing Keith."

"Would you ever tell me who she is?"

"I can't. I'm a good friend, sorry Peyton."

"Can we be friends, after all of this."

"Out of everyone I have worked with on the paper, I felt like you were the only one who really understood me. I wasn't exactly everyone's favorite choice to write for the paper. But you believed in me and I felt like there might be something more to Brooke Davis than pom-poms and a shiny credit card. People were reading my words, Peyton and really liking what I had to say. They were listening to me, I've never had that before. Now…it just seems like you're taking that away from me. The ability to tell the truth, no matter the consequences."

"What if that story gets printed, maybe not here, but somewhere. Dan will find whoever it is and make them pay, whether it's true or not."

The last school bell rang. "I have to get to locker room and get ready. Come if you want…I really don't care anymore."

Nathan walked into the tutoring center; he and Haley were going to walk to the gym for the game.

"Being in this room, the one who needed tutoring seems like a million years ago."

"Back then does seem like a million years ago. You were a jerk, Lucas and I were 'us against he world' and Dan…" She looked up at Nathan to find the words. "You know how Dan was."

"I saw him today."

"When? You were at school all day, unless he did this mayor's special privilege and was one of your teachers."

"Close. He used his mayor card to get me out early, we went to the river court and had pizza, shot the ball around."

"And what, he drilled you on how fast to dribble down the court?"

"And nothing, that was just it. It was just a nice day with my dad, I don't think I've ever had one of those."

"I the to say it, but I think Dan has made amends and is really trying to be the better man."

"If any good can come out of Keith's death, this would be one good thing."

"What did you two talk about." Haley locked up the tutoring center and threw her keys in her jacket pocket.

"I got a packet from Stanford today."

"Stanford University, in California?"

"Yeah, Dan always imagined I would graduate from Tree Hill, play for Duke and some pro team that would pay me millions of dollars for just a signing bonus."

"Dan imagined or Dan planned?"

"A little bit of both I guess. But he didn't do this psychological profile on why I should go to Duke and why it's better. He was actually happy for me."

"So why did you get a packet from Stanford, I thought Duke was the only school that was interested."

"Well until I applied to Stanford."

"You applied to Stanford? Why?"

"You," he said simply, without thought.

They were passing by people and started to talk louder. "But you can't give up your dream just for me."

Nathan waited until they were inside the gym. He turned to face her. "Before you and I started dating, Duke was the dream, Duke was the future. That's all I had ever seen. High School, Duke and pro, that was it. You showed me there is a way out. And I love you for that, and I want to stay with you and if going to Stanford will help me do that, then Duke will just take some other high school MVP."

"So you would give up Duke…for me?"

"Yeah, I guess I already did."

She stood up on her toes and kissed him, but was interrupted by whistling…." Hey Peyton."

"If kissing a Raven like that will guarantee a win, I better go find Lucas."

Haley patted Nathan on the chest and joined Peyton to the locker room. "So what's up with you and Brooke lately, tension could be sensed down the block when she left your house."

"She has this story and I guess it's a good story, I just can't print it."

"If she feels that strongly about it, why not ask Turner."

"You and Lucas ask the same questions, you know that."

"But seriously, what's so bad about it." Peyton gave Haley a look. "Oh, that story…I don't blame you. It involves everyone we know and everyone they know and so on."

"The Tree Hill Vicious Circle."

Peyton opened her locker as Brooke closed hers. Brooke smiled at Kenzie. "You're in the front of formation tonight, I hope you know your moves."

Kenzie was surprised. "Me, why? I'm just a freshman."

Brooke looked at Peyton while speaking. "Because sometimes people can surprise you when you least expect it."

Kenzie looked at Peyton. "Did you two have another fight? She does this every time you two disagree."

"Shut up and go steal someone else's boyfriend." Peyton caught up with Brooke at the doors. "Don't make the squad look bad because you're mad at me. Kenzie is like a spastic humpty dumpty. One false move and we all fall down."

"Look Peyton, this is not all about you. You may call the shots for the paper, but I call the shots here. Or do you want my place as cheer captain too?"

"When is this going to stop?"

"I would say it's when you print my article, but it'll always be something. You're always looking for a way to be far more superior than me. Face it, this is one battle you can't win." Brooke shoved the door open.

Brooke walked onto the sidelines and saw Julian just arriving at the game. He was the senior she had a crush on when first going to Tree Hill. Brooke never had the courage to go speak to him, only admire him from afar and write about him in her journal about everything he did on the basketball court. He waved to her, she coyly smiled and waved back. But on the inside she was doing cartwheels.

It felt like just moments after the game started that it was halftime and time for the Raven cheerleaders to keep the crowd action going.

They all got into formation, Peyton furiously got into the back while Kenzie moved up front and center.

Brooke yelled out…."WHO ARE WE!"

The crowd chanted. "RAVENS!"

"LOUDER…..WHO ARE WE!"

"RAVENS….RAVENS…..RAVENS!"

"AND WHEN ARE WE GONNA LOSE?"

The crowd stood up, chanting, "NEV-ER MORE! NEV-ER MORE! NEV-ER MORE!"

They went into the routine they had rehearsed a thousand times and it ended in disaster….Kenzie missed just one step and Peyton was concentrating on that too much and bumped into Bevin, which made a chain reaction to Teresa who fell onto Haley and creating a domino effect and everyone fell down. The crowd just looked at them, in amazement. The squad had never missed a step, not as long as Brooke has been the captain and choreographer of the team. Quickly they ran off the court.

Peyton leaned up against the locker. "Are you happy?"

"Ecstatic. I mean it's not everyday we tumble in front of the entire town on the simplest cheer known to man."

"It would've been if no one got moved!"

"It was a…cheer-cision."

"Whatever, it's your team, screw it up. I could say screw it over since you know that term even better."

"You did this, Peyton not me!"

"Me? I did this. All because of a story I won't print in the paper, I did this. I made the decision for you to be a brainless slut in front who knows nothing about cheerleading."

"This is not about Kenzie or the paper, this is about you….you having to win."

"Oh excuse me. I didn't know you replacing tow spots on the squad was because of me. I guess I should feel so important that the team screwed up all because you were doing this because of me."

Peyton got her bag out of her locker. "It's your squad, I'm not doing this. From now on, I'm not even your friend, we can be total enemies. Every minute that goes by makes this 'cheer-cision' easier."

"You can't just leave the game in your uniform."

Peyton threw her bag down and removed her uniform…all but her strapless bra and tiny underwear. "There, give some other nazi cheerleader a spot on your such precious squad. Maybe they can steal boyfriends like the slut you already are."

Brooke paused and looked at everyone just in shock at what happened, and all starring at her. "WHAT!"

They all mumbled and went back to not noticing anything, which is what they normally do when Brooke and Peyton fight.

After the game, The Ravens winning by Lucas' last minute free throw shot, Julian walked over to Brooke.

"Not much was missed by the shouting in the locker room. Cheerleading is violent these days."

"Trust me, Julian, cheerleading had nothing to do with it. Well maybe a little."

"When I used to come around right after I graduated, you and Peyton were like two peas in a pod. What happened."

"Newspaper politics. It's a bigger story than I care to explain."

"Anytime you want to, I'm here." He rubbed her arm.

"I heard a rumor that you write for the newspaper at NC State."

"Truth and I get to be the Editor, fun for me."

"Editor to writer. What if a really true, factual, yet damaging story came to you, would you print it."

"Depends on the story."

"Ike it had to do with the Mayor and the school shooting. Hypothetically speaking."

"Brooke, college papers are on a different level that high school papers. I don't know what you're getting at, but that's not something I can answer. But I gather that's what Peyton and you are fighting about."

"Yeah, I guess I wasn't too subtle."

"Connecting the dots was made simple by the yelling."

"Even if it's too big for a college paper or a high school paper, what should I do. I mean it's the truth."

"Brooke, what story is it."

"Would you say I was crazy I said that maybe Jimmy Edwards didn't shoot Nathan and Lucas' uncle Keith?"

"I would wonder why you are making an accusation, but I wouldn't call you a liar."

"Then you're a better editor than Peyton is. She's not saying it in so many words, but she has this theory I'm making it up because I'm either delusional or just want to write a story so our paper will get national recognition."

"I think you have to respect where Peyton is coming from. Whatever is printed in the paper is her responsibility. She can't just print whatever she wants. She has to comply with the school standards and not upset parents and it's more than printing the news."

"So I should give Peyton a chance?"

"Just don't be so hard on her. Just know where she's coming from."

"But it's not like she wants to know where I'm coming from."

"Does she, or have you not given her a chance for you to find out."

"Guilty."

"I would love to help you. But it seems more like a trust issues with best friends then a newspaper article."

"Thanks." She reached up to kiss his cheek; Julian turned his face and she kissed his lips.

"Was that just a….what was that?"

"Let's just say all events aren't accidents." He kissed her on the cheek. "Night Brooke Davis…see you around."

Whitey saw Dan coming through the doors that morning before practice.

"I thought Vampires couldn't walk around in sunlight?"

"I came to talk to you, it's about Lucas."

"Oh, your other son…what do you want now, him kicked off the team….but that's already happened, so I can't imagine why you and I have a conversation about a son you never claimed to be yours publicly."

"I want you to retire his jersey, if that's not too much to ask."

Whitey turned to him, confused. "If I retire Lucas' jersey, I would have to contact all the previous players in my hears of coaching to announce that we're retiring their jersey's too. I love Lucas like a son, but I just can't retire his jersey."

"You retired Nathan's jersey."

"Well, amazingly that is because of you, Danny. You pushed Nathan so hard when he was growing up, he had no other choice than to be the best, up against the great Dan Scott on the court…and at home."

"Then take mine down? It's been up there long enough, I can even hang it in the beach house."

"What is so important about retiring Lucas' jersey. Is there some sick, personal gain for you in an event Lucas might actually like that his jersey is retired?"

"Whitey, when I gave up on basketball in college, it was the biggest mistake I ever made. I realize, finally, that it was because of my father and the way he pushed me to be better than everyone else." Whitey gave him a look. "Yeah, I know, like father like son. But Lucas got the better deal out of the father situation, he was raised by Keith. He got the chance to love basketball and not take it for granted, like I taught Nathan how to. I want him to be remembered for a great thing in Tree Hill and not for having HCM and having to leave the team."

"Dan, he was off the team last year and I thought you were asked to retire his jersey? Why now?"

"Ever since Keith died that day, I've been going over everything I've done…quite a long list and it all starts with me not being there that night. The night Lucas was born. I was there, but when I saw Keith being where I should've been, I knew it was too late. I didn't have the chance anymore. I left that gym thinking I would have the best career and after I left Tree Hill and Deb got pregnant I knew the mistake I had made and was too late to fix one of them. I left Tree Hill, but then came back with Deb, and with Nathan. I had to watch my son, the one I left in that hospital room grow up with Keith for a father, sometimes I would wish that I didn't walk away that night, promise Karen that I would be there for her, even though I really know she would have never let me in Lucas' life, knowing what kind of father I would be. I want Lucas to have something to look up at when he walks in this gym. Not with regret of walking out of here as a former Ravens player, but a Ravens player with something to be proud of. Don't do this for me, do this for Lucas."

"I'll think about it."

"Would it help that I can promise the school board to take down my jersey by the end of school today?"

"I said I would think about it." Whitey waved his hand to shew Dan away. "Now, I have a team to coach."

Right after practice was over, Lucas went to see Whitey.

"Hey, coach…if that's even appropriate." He knocked on the door.

Whitey looked up, taking his glasses off. "Former players twice your age call me coach, I think it's appropriate. What brings you into my office."

"I'm just waiting for Peyton, I decided to walk around the locker room, take in everything that is still here."

"The smell of old socks and sweaty uniforms never gets old."

Lucas laughed. "Nah, I guess not."

"The last time I remember seeing you in my office, just talking, was just after Keith died and it was the first day back at school."

"This is the place I always felt at peace. On the court, in the locker room, in your office…even if you were yelling at me, it still felt at peace, even safe. I felt that when I was on the court, I was unstoppable. I was born to play basketball. I always wondered if me being good at basketball was a way for Dan and I to connect on some level, you know since he never publicly claimed me as his son."

"Let's take a walk." Lucas nodded and they went out into the gym.

"I remember when you and I first walked out here, I offered you a spot on my varsity lineup, one reason because I was desperate after the school board suspended half my first team."

"I never knew what the future held. I loved playing ball on the river court with Skills and everybody. I just never imagined I Could fit into this world. And Nathan didn't' exactly make it any easier."

"I don't think I ever told you, but Keith was the one who really told me to go out and watch you play, I was impressed. I always knew Dan had another son he never really claimed, I just didn't know he was that good at basketball."

"I always thought that Dan wished I wasn't so good at basketball so I would never have a chance of mixing in with Nathan and this crowd."

"Dan came to me today and asked me to retire your jersey."

Lucas was surprised. "Why me? I didn't make the most points for the team, Nathan did. And before that, Dan did. Then…"

"You and I both know Dan Scott in many ways not related to basketball doesn't deserve to have his jersey up there. He was a great ball player, but the day he left your mom in the gym after he found out she was pregnant with you was when I knew Dan wasn't the guy I wanted up there on that wall. But I was outvoted by the points he scored and the games we won when he was a Raven. If I had my way, Keith Scott's jersey would be up there, even though he was probably the worst player I had ever coached. I'm not asking for permission, but what do you think about the idea. Your jersey, number three being up there with Nathan's number twenty-three."

"It would say how far I have come, but I don't feel like I deserve it, you know. I played with a heart condition, I risked my life when my mom needed me the most. I denied taking the HCM because I knew when Nathan didn't have the condition, I knew I could have. It was a fifty percent chance. I was selfish and probably more scared than I wanted to admit."

"But you admitting you have HCM was more courageous than most of the players I have coached. You realized what playing with a heart condition means playing against your life. You chose life and happiness over a thirty minute game time period that wouldn't last the rest of your life, probably not even half your life. And you saved Peyton that day in the school shooting. It takes a lot for someone to walk into large building and not know if there is one student with a gun or fifty. I want to retire your jersey for who you are on and off the court, which is more than I can say about most of my former players."

"You know Whitey, it sounds like you didn't need me to make a decision, just to tell me the reasons for wanting to retire my jersey."

"I'd like you to be okay with it and not walk into this gym being afraid of it."

"Basketball is something I'll never be afraid of, with or without my HCM."

"I was thinking, since I was about ninety percent sure that you would say, that we organize some sort of event, like just before next Friday's game, to retire your jersey. Dan is taking his to the beach house. I don't know why, I guess to admire himself all the time and not have to break into the Tree Hill High School gym to do it.'

"Well, whatever the reasons, it would be nice to see my jersey up there, for everyone to see that I did do something."

"I have complete confidence your jersey will go up there and be admired by all players to come here in the future."

The school bell sounded. 'Back to being a regular student again."

"It was good having you back in the gym again."

"Yeah, it was nice."


	2. Chapter 2

_Brooke was typing away on her laptop when Haley knocked on the open door._

"_Hey cheerleader."_

"_Hey tutor girl."_

"_I talked to Peyton before the best friend brawl in the locker room."_

"_So I guess she told you, you two seem buddy-buddy lately."_

"_Please tell me that was some hint at a joke and not sarcasm."_

_Brooke placed the laptop in front of her, and faced Haley. "Before Luke joined the team it was you and Lucas against the world. Now it's you and Peyton against the world. Why does it seem like you're teaming up with one to be against all others?"_

"_It's not Peyton and me against the world, since when you are you disinclining yourself from the friendship the three of us have?"_

"_I don't know, since I get alienated from all talk that does not involve cheerleading."_

"_Because you're writing an article and the newspaper is really important to you."_

_Brooke whispered. "It's not important to everyone."_

"_Not that again, Brooke, she's serious. Do you realize what could happen?"_

"_And I would think my best friends would understand. I know Peyton is in a tough spot, but I would have hoped you'd understand."_

"_I understand you have a story that you feel is worth printing."_

"_And we're at square one with it's my story and I feel worth printing and no one cares about printing it, but me."_

"_Brooke, it's not like you can just put it out there that Dan Scott shot his own brother in cold blood. It's not a story that is going to look good with the lunch menu."_

"_No offense, but right now, I would really like to be alone."_

"_Whenever you want to talk you know I'm here for you…just don't pull this Team Peyton and Team Brooke stuff with me. It's Team Friendship, remember?"_

_Brooke starred at her computer, "just get out."_

_After Brooke heard Haley leave she slammed her laptop down and started to cry. What if she was in over her head, or what if the story was true. Nobody wins, someone loses something. Brooke picked up her phone and dialed her number._

"_Hey, Abby, it's Brooke…" _

"_Hey."_

"_I know your statement to me is pretty credible, but is there anything else you have that can bring Dan to justice?"_

"_I told you all that I know Brooke…I can't exactly afford to accuse the mayor of Tree Hill of murder. I thought you promised that all you needed was an anonymous statement and no one would even have to know it's me."_

"_Well that's when I thought I had a friend as an editor who would believe me. I realized that doing this without naming my source would be like me writing some fiction novel and making up names to make everything more real. I need you to come forward, I will protect you."_

"_Protect me? Brooke you couldn't even keep your promise that you would keep my anonymous. I know you want this story printed; and so do I, but it's just going to cost a lot more than I'm willing to give."_

_Brooke was distracted by the yearbook picture starring at her in the face. "Thanks Abby…I think I'll be okay, sorry to bother you."_

"_That's okay, good luck."_

_Julian turned the stereo down and answered the persistent knock at the door._

"_Brooke, how…why?"_

"_Relax, I went to your parents house and told them you were going to be a father and I just had to tell you face to face."_

_Julian's face fell. "What?"_

"_I'm kidding. I told them the truth and I wanted to know what your forwarding address was."_

"_Well now that I'm not going to be a father, I guess I have some time on my hands, what's up."_

"_Do you think I'm crazy? Do I have this imagination to make things up?"_

"_This is about the story….and no on both accounts. It would help a bit if I knew what the story was."_

"_The school shooting, Jimmy Edwards shot himself after shooting Keith Scott. But I have a witness that tells me that Jimmy did shoot himself and Keith was alive when Jimmy was shot. And she saw Dan pull the trigger."_

"_The Mayor shot his own brother?"_

"_In cold blood. And I have an anonymous witness who is just as sacred as I am about this story who won't come forward so it makes me look like a fraud."_

"_Does the school have security cameras?"_

"_They weren't installed until after the shooting along with the millions of dollars invested into the security system we now know as metal detectors."_

"_As an editor, I agree with Peyton. An anonymous source…no visual sightings….it's not made up, I know that, I can see that, but is there any way that Dan would actually go down for this? The only way he could be taken down for this if he actually admitting shooting Keith himself."_

"_Then Dan gets away with murdering his own brother."_

_Julian walked towards her, rubbing her arms. "You don't know that…somebody could do something."_

"_Well this somebody isn't getting very far."_

"_And it's only a high school paper, Haley is right, the murder of Keith Scott by his own brother doesn't go well with the lunch menu."_

"_Go bigger, college paper."_

"_I thought you wouldn't print it."_

"_I never said I wouldn't, you just never asked."_

"_Would you print it."_

"_Get me concrete evidence, and yeah, I'll do whatever it takes."_

"_That's just it, I have a scared anonymous witness who is more like a ghost than a person, and you're the only person who believes me." _

"_Just relax, Brooke, you're too wind up….relax."_

"_How can I relax whe…." Julian kissed her. "So is this when you say goodnight and that all events aren't accidents."_

"_Don't think I never noticed you Brooke Davis…I did. I noticed you the minute you stood behind Morgan in the cheer formation in your freshman year."_

"_I thought you said I was like a sister….unless you have this weird Angelina thing going on?"_

"_Well a senior dating a freshman, it's not what I would call a convenient relationship. And I thought that you would find a guy your age that you would date and really like and I would just be the older guy you knew in high school."_

"_Well, I did date…a lot and one boy I liked. But that's over with."_

"_What about now?"_

"_As in right now?"_

"_Sure."_

"_Right now I think this is going really far away from a newspaper article."_

_The next thing Brooke remembers is waking with Julian having one arm draped over her and her wearing his shirt. He was sound asleep and Brooke didn't want to face what was going to happen when he woke up. They already are in a completely different state of their relationship. Then Brooke had thoughts about what possible relationship they could have. He's in college and she's a senior. They would drift apart faster than they could get their thoughts together._

_She stood still when she heard him speak. "Hey you."_

_She sat slowly on the bed. "Hi."_

"_Weird night, huh?"_

"_To say the least."_

_He looked at what she was doing. "Are you leaving?"_

"_I didn't want to wake up alone, so…"_

"_So me waking up alone would be a much better idea?"_

"_I was planning on leaving a note."_

_He sat up. "And you're scared that this isn't more than just sex."_

"_That thought did cross my mind."_

"_What makes you think this wasn't just sex?"_

"_Because every guy I've been with, well almost every guy I've been with…that's what it is. A few hours and it's like press a button and in comes the next guy."_

"_What if I told you that this was more than just sex, to me and that I know it is for you too, I see the look on your face."_

"_I was never a good liar."_

"_And because I really know you. "_

"_That's great and all, it's not like I want to leave, I really don't, but I have to go home and get ready for the real world of school and showing up in the same outfit as the day before would make everyone know what I did the night before."_

"_And is that a bad thing?"_

"_Two years ago, not in the least. But now, I don't want to be that girl who is known for a two-hour fling and drops the guy like he never mattered. You matter, you always have."_

"_What about a real date."_

"_Sure, I do have to go though, I'm going to be late already."_

_Julian got up from the bed. "Give me a minute and I'll drop you at your house."_

"_You don't have to do that, my car is outside."_

"_I know…but I want to."_

_Julian sat down at his desk and started searching newspaper articles from the school shooting. He was then startled by his professor._

"_Sir."_

"_Mr. Baker…studying for the Calculus final?"_

"_The test is tomorrow, I was going to get a cram session in tonight. I've got to meet this deadline for the paper."_

"_As long as I see an A on that test, you and I will get along just fine."_

"_Yes, sir."_

_He let out a sigh of relief and continued searching the archives. He found the article, written by Peyton Scott._

_The day that lives in our minds and breaks our hearts. When I walked into school that morning, I met up with my best friend; Brooke Davis, she had just ordered material to make a wedding dress for her boyfriend's mom, Karen Roe. I was given the privilege to tell the story by our own Principal Turner. But then I realized I wasn't really given a privileged story, I was given a task. The day, I was fighting for my life after being shot in the leg by the only gunshot fired in the hallway that sent everyone screaming into different directions. I was there, with my best friend; soon-to-be-husband, Lucas Scott. I knew I would die that day. I was getting weak, and he told me stay awake and talk about a good day, and not focus on the bad day. And I think that is the moral of what we should all believe. We're all going to have bad days, it's human nature, but it's what you do in the wake of those bad days makes you special, makes you a hero. Lucas Scott was my hero. But heroism is far from where my thoughts really are. That day we lost a Tree Hill High School Student and a beloved member of the town, Keith Scott. He was the brother of Mayor Dan Scott. We all knew him as uncle Keith. He was best man as mine and Lucas' wedding and Lucas was happy to know that Keith wanted him to be best man at his wedding; a day that would not come to pass. No one really knows what happened that, except for a few things. It was reported by students in the tutor center that the gunman, Jimmy Edwards released a student, Abby Brown from the classroom because she had diabetes and was late getting her insulin shot, no one saw her, or has seen her…._

That's all the proof Julian needed that the girl did in fact exist and Brooke has a concrete witness, all he had to do was find the girl. He cross referenced her name in the database using his editor password. He got her address…and a forwarding address. He quickly picked up his jacket and turned the computer off, he was off to finish Brooke's story.

Peyton kept silent at first when walking into the newspaper room and saw Brooke typing away.

"You can forget about that story, I can't print it."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Both."

"And why are you telling me this now, it's not surprising news."

"Because I know you. No matter what decision I make you try and walk around it and go to Principal Turner."

"Well, I guess this time I'm outnumbered."

Peyton looked at Brooke with a strange expression. "So you're not going to fight me on this? No arguments."

Brooke stood up, leaning on her monitor. "Look, Peyton, I can't change decisions made by and certainly not made by Turner. That day happened and it has effected everyone in this town and especially you. I can't imagine what it's like thinking you're going to die by someone you don't even know. I am sorry that happened to you. I wanted to tell the story so that Jimmy Edwards wouldn't die in vein, with students from now and ten years from now won't think that he was a murderer. He was, in some ways, just like us. A lonely kid who just wanted a way out. We all do. Sometimes we have bad days and we look forward to the next day or even the end of the school day. It always gets better for us because we have our friendships and we support each other. Jimmy Edwards didn't have that. He didn't have any friends to help him through the dark days. And he didn't have anyone to lean on for support, he had nobody. I wanted him to have someone, even after his death, that believed he wasn't a murderer, just a troubled kid who had enough and took action." Brooke sat back down and continued typing.

Peyton was going to say something, but Haley walked in. "You wanted to see me."

"Yeah. Let's go outside."

They sat outside on at the picnic tables.

"What's up Peyton?"

"I know the school shooting is really hard to think about, I hate thinking about it, but I have to ask you a question."

Haley nodded, and look concerned. "Okay."

"You were in the room with Jimmy Edwards, did he let a student go before Keith went inside?Haley gathered her thoughts. "Yeah, Abby Brown. She was a diabetic and needed her insulin shots. I saw his face after she started running down the hallway, he looked at peace for one second."

"Did you ever see Abby after that."

"No, I didn't. I mean it's like she must have transferred school. I tried finding her, to see how she was. But no luck. She's not even in the registry anymore. Why do you ask?"

"The article Brooke was writing. She is so passionate about it. I keep thinking there is a story there. And maybe, just maybe if we gather up enough evidence, we can take it to the police. I mean I know Turner would never print the story, he would lose his job and I'd be kicked out of school. I don't want to believe Dan would do, but I can't afford not to believe him. I mean what if Dan did do it."

"But what motive would Dan have." Peyton gave her a look. "Yeah, you're right, this is Dan."

"I want to know what you think?"

"Well you said Brooke's witness is anonymous. You need to get her to talk. You can't just go an accuse someone, especially the major that he killed someone, who happened to be his brother. You need to have Abby, at least to go to the police."

"I remember everyone from the media asking me questions about that day and I didn't want to talk about it. People not even from Tree Hill were coming up to me asking me about that day and how I got out, what it was like in the library. And I can't even imagine witnessing what she may have witnessed."

"I can ask around, see if anyone has seen her. She's not in the current student files. But there is a database for students that have been expelled or suspended, transferred, she'll be in the system."

"Thanks Haley."

"Sure, what are sister-in-law's for?" Haley gave Peyton a little wave then jetted off.


	3. Chapter 3

Julian had the address in hand when knocking the door. He checked numerous times to make sure he was going to the right house.

An older woman opened the door. "May I help you?"

"Do you know an Abby Brown?"

"She's my granddaughter, are you a friend of hers?"

"I'm Julian Baker, Senior Editor at State College. I was wondering if I could speak with her?"

"She's doesn't live here. After the shooting, her mother packed everything up and left town. She left this house in my name. Is this about the shooting?"

"I just wanted to talk to her, is there a forwarding address?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know you and I can't just be giving out her address to random people. Why are you here, it's been over a year."

Julian hesitated. "My girlfriend…she's having a lot of questions and I was hoping Abby could have some answers."

"Well, if you leave your questions here, I can talk to Abby's mother and probably get them back to you. Did you want to come in? I have some things on the stove, I don't want to burn anything."

"Sure, I can wait." Julian looked around as he was making his way through the house. Anything with a forwarding address on it. He took a seat on the couch and sifted through papers. He was startled by the woman coming back into the room.

"So, who is your girlfriend?"

"Brooke Davis…she's inquiring a few things."

"But why?"

"She wants to help write an article, since it's been a year, she wants to do it justice. And Abby was in the room with Jimmy Edwards, I think she could have some answers."

"That's nice…but I don't know how much information Abby can give you. She's been really despondent regarding that day."

"I understand…traumatic for everyone."

"If you just write down your phone number, I can give you a call and you can come get her answers."

"What if I just left my email and then she can email them to me."

"That might work…"

Julian wrote down his contact information and stood back up. "Thank you, this is helping a lot."

"You're welcome."

He went out to the car and immediately pulled out the envelope that had a different address on it.

"Tree Hill Police…this is Matt."

"It's Julian, I need an address search for 1501 Spain Street…in Charlotte."

"Julian, why? Some goose chase they're putting you on again?"

"Matt, this is important, just please let me know who lives at that address, call me back as soon as you can."

"Yeah, okay, I'll get right on it."

Lucas walked into the living of his mother's house. Since the shooting, Karen and her daughter Lily moved to Charleston, in the home Keith was planning to move after Lucas graduated high school.

"Hey mom, where's my little sister."

"Napping. Andy and her played hide and go seek all night, she's been worn out all day."

"Where is Andy?"

"Business meeting in Atlanta, he'll be back tomorrow. Usually you call, what brings you by."

"A year ago next week."

She hesitated. "I know. Every time I look at Lily I wonder when is she going to ask where her father is. And I can't imagine what I will tell her. I know when she's younger, I can tell her something. But when she's older, when she graduates high school and when she gets married. I'll have to tell her the truth."

"If it helps, I'll be here with you."

"Peyton should be here…she was there too. How is my daughter-in-law?"

"She's good. Busy as always."

"So you've decided to visit your mom who lives a few hours away because your wife always busy."

"Nah, you're just the bonus." He flashed a big smile.

Karen smiled at his humor. "So, how is Nathan doing?"

"He's good, same Nathan."

Karen put the dishrag down and sat down with Lucas. "How are you really doing?"

"I thought I would have Keith to answer the questions I had before I married Peyton. I imagined having these great weekends where we would go fishing and talk about everything. Nothing was ever off limits. I told him whatever was on my mind. And now…I can't."

"You can't, but the response won't be what you want."

"He talked about that too. Remember the time you and Keith went on that trip to New York?" Lucas nodded. "He came back, just excited. He said the way you talked about your new girlfriend Peyton," Lucas smiled. "He said he was just waiting for another trip like that when the two of you could talk about marriage and the future. He wanted to be grandpa, he wanted all of these things. I guess I'm not making today any easier, talking about Keith's dreams and well wishes. Is there anything you would like to talk about?"

"I can't help but not see the good changes Dan has made. I know he's a better person now, but he's a better person because Keith is not here. And every time I want to think that I'm glad Dan has changed, it makes me think I'm not so sorry about Keith dying."

"I know how you feel. A few months after Keith had died; I had a broken pipe or something and I yelled out Keith's name. I had never felt so foolish in my life. I was then realizing I was not ready to accept day to day life without Keith. But I called Dan, because in high school he knew all about repairing things, mostly cars, but he knew a lot more than me. And he fixed the pipe and everything was working. He just liked the idea that I felt I could count on him. After that I sat in this kitchen and cried. Because at that time I knew his positive change was because Keith is not here. Then Lily came and sat on my lap and told me about the day she had, the few hours she had been awake. And I just listened to her and knew, in some way, Keith was still here. So Keith will always be here and still teaching you and guiding you."

Lily came running into the kitchen. "Andy's home, Andy's home!" She sat on Karen's lap. "Hey Luke."

"Hey pretty girl, how's my favorite sister?"

She whispered to Karen. "Can we go see Andy?"

"Why not you and your brother go see daddy?"

"Okay, come on Luke." Lily was pulling him by the hand.

Lucas stood by and watched Lily jump up in Andy's arms. He longed for that feeling with his children.

"Lucas, hey, what brings you all the way out in the country?"

"I never stop by, Peyton is busy all day."

"So we're the second choice?"

"Nah, just the bonus."

"Lucas is going to stay for dinner."

"He is?"

Lucas was confused. "I am?"

"You're already here, and mommy is making dinner right now."

"She is." Andy followed the two into the house.

Karen came out of the kitchen. "My whole family, this is an honor."

"Well Lily invited me for dinner."

"You invited him for pizza?"

Lucas pretended to pout. "I was told you were making dinner."

"You mean making dinner as in me calling for pizza and getting the cans of soda from the basement."

"Yeah, that too." He flashed his smile again.

"Why do I get the feeling that smile is reserved for me and me only."

"Because I figured out a long time ago, whenever I flashed the smile, I got what I wanted."

"Hmm, just don't teach that to your little sister."

"Karen, Luke and I can go and get the drinks from the basement, come on Luke."

They got down to the basement.

Lucas stood at the doorway. "The drinks are upstairs, what did you want to talk to me about."

"You're smarter than I gave you credit for."

"I had a great teacher."

"Keith." Lucas nodded. "That's who I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay." They sat on the back porch.

"Look, I know that you would do almost anything for your mom and Keith to be here raising Lily. And I know that Karen would give almost anything to feel Keith lying next to her every morning. But this is the way it is. I can't change it, some days I would if I could. I haven't seen you since the wedding. So I want to know what is your opinion in all of this?"

"This is what Keith would have wanted. I'm happy that my mom is happy and that Lily has you in her life. I don't know what my mom would do or where she would be if you weren't here. She'd probably still be in Tree Hill being reminded of Keith everywhere she went."

"Right before I proposed to Karen, I realized that I was second. I was the second choice in her life. There was no changing that. Lily would know some day what really happened to her father, and I will have too her that I am not her father. She knows me as me, but not why I'm here and her father's not. And I know that day will come when I'm not ready weather is a year from now or ten years from now."

"If I could choose anybody in the world that my would be with, if not Keith, it's you or no one else."

"What about Dan? I know he wasn't the good guy, but what about now?"

"The history. The way he treated me when I joined the basketball team and the way he treated me mother, I just couldn't accept him." Lucas' cell phone started ringing. "It's Peyton."

"Well, I'll let you take that I'll see you upstairs." Lucas nodded.

"Hey baby girl."

"I was thinking about hanging out with Haley tonight, I was wondering when you were going to come home. I haven't seen you all day."

"I miss you too, I'm actually with mom and Andy. Lily invited me for a home cooked dinner which turned into pizza night."

"Sounds like fun. You stay there…I'll hang out with Haley."

"You sure?"

"Of course, you hardly see them, so have fun with your family."

"They're you're family too, I'll see you probably tomorrow, it's a long drive back, I might just stay here tonight."

"Then I'm a single woman tonight…what ever will I do?"

"Hmm, just be that beautiful girl that I get to wake up to every morning."

"Well I have to go….I love you and I'll see you tomorrow."

Lucas hung up the phone and saw Lily tapping her foot. "Yes?"

"And who do you love mister?"

Lucas held Lily's hand as they walked upstairs. "Aunt Peyton."

"Oh, I thought it was another girl."


	4. Chapter 4

"Come in," Julian said when someone knocked at the door.

"Hey." Brooke said softly before showing up in the room he was in.

He looked concerned. "I haven't heard from you, and you never called me back so, I didn't know what to think."

"Truth, I didn't either."

"So what's been going on?"

"I ended up choosing a different story for the paper and starting to believe that no one will know that Jimmy Edwards didn't kill Keith Scott."

"I was taught a very good lesson when I first started writing on a college level. Always have the facts and you can go as high as you need to."

"I will get expelled and Peyton and Turner might get fired. I mean I could damage everyone's life here."

"I'm getting that these people are your friends."

"They're the only family that I have, and you."

"Is it more important about their future or clearing the name of a kid who doesn't have one?"

"But what about Dan, he gets to walk free and live his life while, to his fault, can't do that."

"Then fight. Fight for Keith, fight for you…fight for that kid who sits in the ground and is remembered as a murderer!"

"I never thought of it that way…have you done something like this before?"

"A close friend, but that's not the point. The point is, you should know in your heart whether something is worth fighting for."

Julian sat back down at his computer after Brooke stood there, not saying anything.

"I came over here because talking to you on the phone after we were together didn't seem right."

"So you couldn't text me for us to meet somewhere?"

"This isn't exact my area of expertise. I used to not care who I was with and now that I do, it's different. I want to say the right things and I'm afraid that if I say the wrong thing, you won't want to…be…with…me, anymore."

Julian got up from the computer, walked over to Brooke. He gave her the sweetest and most passionate kiss either of them has ever felt before.

"All I want is to be with you, and when I'm not with you, I feel it. I thought I did something wrong. Like I pushed you into us sleeping together."

"This, you and me, someone really wanting to be with me is new. Sure I've been with guys, but this is different. I want this to be different."

Julian closed his eyes before speaking. "I don't want to lie to you."

"There's another girl?"

"I read Peyton's article about the school shooting and it supports your facts on having a source."

"Wait, why did you….how did you?"

"I saw the intensity, the drive you had and that's the drive I have when I go after a story. So I just decided to see what was really going on. And Peyton said Jimmy Edwards let a girl go from the tutoring center, Abby Brown, but she hasn't been back to school since. A little too coincidental."

"Did you find out anything."

"She has a really nice grandmother."

"Well, everyone has a nice grandmother."

Julian turned around and showed Brooke his business card. "And you have a shiny card with your name on it…is there a point?"

"Look on the back."

She turned it around. "Abby Brown…and her address, her grandmother gave this to you?"

"Well, not exactly."

Brooke smiled. "Okay, Mr. Editor, how did you get it?"

"Well her grandmother is so efficient, she puts forwarding addresses on her granddaughter's mail and sticks in the mailbox."

"You snooped into a mailbox?"

"I was simply looking to contact someone she had an address for."

"It's illegal."

"Do you think I got where I am today by obeying every law in the book? The first rule of college writing, don't confess until you have witnesses."

"So, what did Abby say when you found her?"

"Oooh, no, baby that is your job."

"My job? But I didn't get the address."

"And this is your story."

"That Peyton will never print."

"Not unless you have a credible witness, and Abby is the only thing you've got."

"Would you come with me?"

"Under one condition?"

"Uh oh, here it comes."

"Be my date for the burning boat festival."

"But I'll be cheering."

"Exactly, I've always had a thing for cheerleaders."

Dan bought the paper in that morning, reading about the burning boat festival, he laid it in front of Nathan.

"Got any regrets."

"Not that I can burn."

"What about the original Ravens uniform, the one before you wore the first game of your junior year."

"Mom has in a box somewhere in the house."

"Are you even gonna go?"

"I have to, requirement by Whitey that both JV and Varsity teams go."

"What are you reading?"

"Tree Hill newsletter. It was on the counter, you subscribe to it?"

"As the mayor I am obligated to keep up with the current school news. And your mom put me up to it."

"I was reading an article that Peyton wrote about the boat festival."

"What did she have to say."

"About what some of the kids around school are going to throw in. She's planning on putting the former cheerleading uniform in there."

"See, showing school spirit."

"I thought Brooke was going to write something on the anniversary of the school shooting. I guess not."

Dan swallowed hard. "What was she planning to write?"

"Well, ever since that day, Peyton wanted to do a yearly edition of that day, so no one will ever forget."

"I'm sure it will be out sometime. I've never known Peyton to miss a deadline like that."

"Dan, you don't even know Peyton."

"I meant as in reading the newsletter. I can't imagine a story as important as that day going to waste."

"Well, it's her paper, she can do what she wants." Nathan's cell phone went off. "I have to go."

"I can drive you to school."

"I usually pick Haley up on my way there."

"Well, I guess I'll see ya."

"Yeah."

After Nathan left, Dan started reading everything on the paper. He looked at all the notes and every sentence to see if anything about the shooting was put in there. He let out a sigh of relief when nothing about the school shooting was printed. He turned on the television to escape.

"And two years ago next week, the horror of a school shooting ripped through Tree Hill. The shooter, Jimmy Edwards, held students hostage in the tutoring center while a gunshot victim, Peyton Sawyer, lay in the library with now husband, Lucas Scott. No one really knows besides constant bullying and harassment lead to the student's spree. And then, in the main hallway of the school, Jimmy Edwards took his next victim. Keith Scott, brother of Mayor Dan Scott, was shot and killed. All students and faculty were out of the building by that time, no witnesses. Only evidence left were the two bodies of Keith Scott and Jimmy Edwards to be found. This is just a reminder of something can be done to make someone's day a little bit better."

Dan turned the television off. He knew the article would be coming, her name would be mentioned in that article, again. He had to find a way, anyway to change it.

Peyton opened up the door. "Dan, this is a surprise. Lucas isn't home yet, he's out with Haley."

"The anniversary edition of the school paper is coming up. I had a few concerns."

Peyton sat down at the kitchen table. "Sure, what's up?"

"Last year, you mentioned a girl named Abby Brown." Peyton nodded. "I did some checking and I know she has transferred schools. And I was hoping that you could keep her name out of the papers. You know, the constant badgering by other students to maybe she knows something."

"Dan, the article hasn't been written yet, I haven't even put into words of what I'm going to say."

"Would you please keep her name out of the papers."

Peyton looked at his body language. "Why? The last article was published and you never came to me to say anything, not even doing a great job on talking about Keith? Why are you coming to Abby's defense now?"

"Because last time I didn't know Abby had transferred schools. I'm worried for her safety."

"Well actually, I'm not doing the article this year?"

"But you should, everyone should remember that day…to keep violence out of schools."

"I agree, but I didn't say it wasn't being done. I have complete confidence in Brooke Davis. She has shown me by far that she is capable of writing the article. She doesn't know it yet, but I'm going to give the assignment to her."

"Oh, then I guess I should talk her."

"Dan, that's not a good idea."

"Why not?"

"This is Brooke's first story, like big story that she's going to probably be a bit overwhelmed with at first. I think it would be best if you talk to me and I will talk to her."

"But the translation might get lost."

"I doubt it. If she has questions, then she can talk to you. But I want this to be all about Brooke."

"Then I guess I'll be in touch."

"Okay, is there anything else you want to talk about?"

"Would you send the copy of the article by my office, I'd like to read it."

"Sure, once it's published, I'll deliver it myself."

"I was hoping before it got published, you know, I'm a first draft kind of guy."

"Since when?"

"This is about Keith."

"Yeah it is, so I wonder why you ask now, since there's a supposed witness. And when I gathered the facts last year for my article, you were the last one out of the building. Why is that Dan? You said you didn't hear any gunshots, but you were out of that building one minute before the shots were fired. Gunshots are not silent, you had to have heard something."

"I didn't. Keith told me to leave, I begged him for me to stay, I didn't' want my brother to die. I know I was mean to him in the past and I am sorry. But I left, he wanted me to leave, and not make that kid feel outnumbered."

"Dan, if there was ever a point that day that could have defended Lucas in that hallway, I would have. I would risk my life for his, that's love. You left, you left the entire building. That's not love…is it?"

"I guess not. But…"

"Get out of my house."

"Have Lucas call me."

"Sure, when hell freezes over. Get the hell out!"

Peyton sat down by Brooke at the picnic table.

"The anniversary article is coming up, it's a big issue."

"Tell me something I don't know, Peyton."

"I want you to write it."

Brooke was shocked. "Me? But…"

"I decided it before Dan came to see me yesterday."

"What did Dan want?"

"I think your article needs some direction."

"Why?"

"Dan wanted me to take Abby's name out of the article."

"What were his reasons."

"Because he was concerned that other kids would harass her about that day, and since she's not transferred schools."

"So, he knows that if we write another article, we have to print more facts."

"And I have more facts on Dan Scott then you do."

"I have researched the student library like a million times, I have everything that happened on that day."

"As an editor, I'm always on guard to get a story. I have facts and witnesses to back me up saying Dan was out of that school only a minute before the gunshots when off. He had to have heard them, but he made a police statement to say he didn't."

"So he lied?"

"That's what I'm gathering. But Dan would be in serious trouble if he lied."

"So you're with me on him shooting Keith."

"Not entirely, but Dan knows more than he's let everyone know he knows."

"Who can we go to? You said it yourself, you would be expelled, and me, probably worse and Turner would be fired."

"I can talk to Turner. I play it really safe ever since the story I printed about Haley getting fired from tutoring, I got suspended form being the editor for a week. It was the worst week of my life."

"What do you suggest we do."

"Keep it quiet for right now. I'm going to start asking Haley and Nathan some questions. You try to find Abby."

"Julian already did."

"Are you talking about Julian Baker?"

"Yeah, he's my boyfriend." Brooke smiled as did Peyton.

"Well, what did he find out?"

"Without asking too much, he talked to her grandmother and found Abby's forwarding address."

"Granny gave up the goods?"

"Not exactly. He reached into the mailbox and took out an envelope with her forwarding address."

"Smooth, can he come work for us."

"He's the editor at State College."

"Wait, is he working with you or is he thinking about using this as his story."

"He's just helping me."

"Great, call me if you have updates. I…and you, should go get ready for burning boat."

"I don't have anything to burn."

"We can figure that out later."


	5. Chapter 5

Nathan and Haley arrived at the burning boat festival, they sat down on the bench as Haley watched the cheerleaders.

"I know you miss it, you don't have to say you don't."

"When I first started, it was awkward, you know. Luke and I used to make fun of the cheerleaders all the time, and then all of a sudden I was a cheerleader. But then it became fun, I got to know the girls, and they were all really nice. I felt like I belonged, like in the final yearbook, I can have cheerleading on my record and really felt like I did something. Not just be the school tutor nerd or Lucas Scott's shadow."

"Is that what you really think? Or what people think of you."

"Sure, they're always looking at me, obviously they're talking about me."

"They were, just not what you think. Brooke does say 'why can't you be more like Haley' and that girl would say 'I'm not that smart, I'll never be that smart'."

"So I picked up quick on a couple of cheerleading moves."

"You make people feel like they matter. Cheerleaders have reputations for being the pretty and the popular, no brains required. You made a difference Hales, you should be proud of it."

"And why am I not a cheerleader now, huh?" Haley pursed her lips together, folding her arms. "I didn't mean it."

"Yeah, I think you kind of did. And that's why I know that I'll be a better man…for you."

"But you already are…to me." She leaned on his shoulder. "Did you throw anything in the boat?"

Nathan took out the video tape. "This."

"What's on the tape?"

"My dad and Karen. I was a jerk and saw Lucas talking to Peyton, so I played it…for everyone to see what life was. I don't want to be that guy again. This tape reminds me of how stupid I acted that night."

"I think that tape more represents Dan, not you. But if you feel you have to burn it?"

"And there's humiliating evidence that would be proof that I really do suck at football."

"You can't be great at everything."

He looked at Haley. "Sure you can."

"I'm going to go talk to the girls, just to catch up, you're gonna be okay?"

"Luke is on his way, I can hang out with my brother."

Haley nudged Peyton. "Hey cheerleader."

"Hey , I didn't think you ever wanted to hang out with the cheerleaders."

"Yeah, I was upset that day, but it wasn't your decision. It was Turner's…I can't spend my life hating him for something I can't change anyway."

"Wow, Haley, you really did take the high road."

"After tearing the stuffing out of Mr. Waffles, yes." Peyton gave her a look. "He was a…never mind. So you called, something about the anniversary article?"

"Not here, in front of everyone. Meet me at the river court after burning boat."

"But why?"

"It's about the school shooting and if word gets around of what I'm gonna ask you and why, everything is gonna hit the fan."

"I'll try to help. I haven't really thought about that day, nor have I wanted to."

"Could you get Nathan, too? I just need some facts."

"Sure, anything. So, are you and Brooke on speaking terms now?"

"I'm gonna let her write the article…the way she wants to."

"What? Peyton, are you crazy! You know what that article could do."

"But not if we have enough facts. Look, I have more of a story than anybody, and with Brooke's story and her witness…the truth will finally come out."

"It's great that justice will be served, but what about Lucas and Nathan? They are finally letting Dan into their lives and you're gonna rip that away from them."

"You're Lucas' best friend. Would you want him believing this lie for the rest of his life?"

"I guess not."

"Are you burning anything."

"Well, I was getting ready to pack up my cheerleading uniform and pompoms and throw them into the cheerleading bag and let everything get burned."

"Why not keep it hidden away, nice memories."

"Of getting kicked off the squad."

"Sleepovers, away games…always having someone to talk to. Even you said over and over again, that cheerleading is a great experience and you were sad it would be going away in a year when we graduate."

"Well not all of us can have the dream high school experience. Yeah it was fun, but I can't change what happened."

They both watched Whitey get up to the podium. "Time to perform…"

"I'm gonna go sit with Nathan and Luke."

"Good evening! Originally I wasn't supposed to be up here making a speech but the Burt Skelton died, so here I am. The burning boat was originated by the class of 1959. The students wanted to make a statement. If bombs can go blow up Vietnam, they should use fire to blow something up over here. Well, eventually, someone came up with the idea of the Burning Boat. To burn your past, and enlighten your future. All afternoon, everyone has had the opportunity to throw away their past, their indiscretions, and whatever else they wanted to. And now, it's time to light the flame."

The boat went up in flames, everyone cheered.

Brooke knew the night was over, she turned to get her bag and bumped into Julian.

"Hey, you…I was looking for you earlier."

"I had some stuff to do, otherwise I'd be here."

"Well, I'm glad you're here." Brooke noticed his jacket. "And you're carrying your Tree Hill letterman's jacket? Too many bad memories?"

"Just the opposite. This may sound corny, but, I'm giving this to you."

"So does this mean we're going steady?" She started to laugh.

"It means that I know there is something special there."

"Thank you, that is very sweet."

"Do you have plans tonight, I know a great Chinese place that is great for ordering in."

"Sounds perfect…but there's some stuff I have to do for the paper."

"What story is it this time?"

"Well, with your help and Peyton, I'm going to get my article seen."

"Really, and how well did that go over with Turner?"

"I don't think he knows yet, Peyton has more facts than I do, we're gonna get the truth out there."

"That's great, I'm proud of you for sticking to what you believe in."

"Then after that, I can come over, might be a little late though."

"I'll be waiting." He kissed her on the cheek.

Lucas walked over to Brooke.

"So you're going steady."

"Don't make fun of me. It's really sweet."

"I'm happy for you, really. I know we haven't spent a lot of time together, sorry about that."

"Don't apologize, it's been a tough year, for everyone."

"I heard that you were writing this year's anniversary article on the school shooting."

"Yeah, I am."

"I want to say a few words."

Brooke swallowed hard. "What did you want to say exactly?"

"How much Keith meant to a lot of people."

"Oh, I'm sure I can do something, leave some space open."

"Dan, I think, wanted to say a few things."

"He did? I didn't know that."

"Turns out he does have a heart."

Brooke started to cough. "Sorry, allergies."

"And Dan wants a draft before the paper is printed."

"Why?"

"To make sure it comes out great, keep Keith's memory alive."

"As much as I respect what Dan wants, it's not the policy of the paper. I give my story to Peyton, she prints it, that's it. Everyone sees the finished copy first."

"Is it because you don't want him to see it, I know he's done bad things, but it's just an article."

Brooke faced him. "It's not just an article, and you know that, I'm surprised you even said that. Yeah, Dan's changed, and yeah, he's the Mayor, but so what. He's never cared about the paper before. Even the first year article we did, he read it just like everyone else did. Why does he want a rough draft?"

"Are you hiding something Brooke?"

"No, I'm not hiding anything, I just wonder why Dan is so curious about reading the paper before everyone else does."

"I try not to ask reasons why Dan is concerned, I'm just thankful he's there. And if Keith had a part in this, all the better."

"Well the answer is still no. And I have to go, Peyton and I are working on a few ideas after burning boat."

"Peyton's not talking to me about it and now you're freezing me out. What's going on? Does this have to do with Dan, he's innocent."

"I can't talk to you, I'm sorry." Brooke walk passed him quickly and didn't stop.

Peyton got out of her car and only saw Haley.

"Where's Nathan?"

"I want to know what this is about before we involve Nathan." She saw Brooke's car. "Why is she here, too?"

"We evidence, not proof, that Jimmy Edwards didn't kill Keith."

"So there was another gunman, so what?"

"We both know that Dan has ways of covering up evidence. He almost got Whitey fired for implicating some school board judge because he was a sleazebag. I know this is really far off and damaging to a lot of people, but there are just too many things that don't agree with Dan's statement to the police."

"You think Dan did this."

"Ninety percent sure, yes."

"Come on, Peyton. This is Keith. Yeah, they weren't on the greatest terms, but Dan wouldn't kill his own brother."

Brooke walked up. "Yeah he would, and he did."

"So now both of you are ganging up on me, so much for true friendship."

"We just want to ask some questions. That's all."

"To help falsly accuse Dan of murdering Keith, no way."

Peyton raised her voice. And let Jimmy Edwards be remembered as a murderer, no. Yeah, I was shot in the leg, but that boy was tortured far worse than I was. He was a troubled kid, looking for a way out."

"Aren't we all looking for a way out, but we don't bring guns to school!"

"No, we bring our attitudes and insults and we belittle other people in the process. As I recall, you bought bitchy Haley to school for two weeks straight, but we forgave you because we knew you didn't mean it. Jimmy Edwards didn't do anything to anybody, yet everyone teased him and made fun of him. It was sad."

"So you're putting this sob story in my face to make me feel guilty?"

"No, to see Jimmy Edwards didn't kill Keith, he killed himself!"

"So what evidence proves your story."

"I know Dan's lying. Not about the gun going off, but where he was. I have witnesses to say that he was just out of the building when the gunshots went off. That completely differs from the story he gave to police."

"It was a rough day, I don't even remember everything that happened in the tutor center."

Brooke stood beside Peyton. "Do you remember Abby Brown? I believe she was allowed to leave because she was a diabetic and needed her insulin."

"Yeah, she left, but I didn't see her again. I guess she transferred schools."

"She saw everything, Haley. She saw Jimmy shoot himself, she saw Dan pick up the gun, Keith look at him with shock and then Keith being killed by one gunshot."

"She was distressed, she could have been hallucinating."

"It takes a pretty big imagination to make that story up."

"Okay, if this is true. Who's to say you can ever print it."

Peyton took a deep breath before speaking. "I'll get expelled and Brooke probably worse, but who cares. Dan needs to pay for what he did."

"What happens to Lucas. Keith was like a father to him. And if the adoption papers were filed, Keith would have been Lucas' father. And Nathan? He already feels bad enough he didn't get to know Keith. Why can't you leave it alone?"

"Because Dan took Keith away because of jealousy, greed and whatever else Dan hated him for."

"You're gonna do what you want, so it's okay….I just won't be apart of it."

"Haley, this is hard, but we need you to say that Abby was in the tutor center, Jimmy Edwards let her go. Abby is scared enough that people are going to not believe her and then everything goes downhill."

"Just give me some time to sink all of this in."

"Fine, it's hard to swallow."

"Just not a word to Nathan."

Lucas slammed the front page of the newspaper on the locker in front of Brooke.

"Who the hell do you think you are."

"Someone who you are really upset with?"

"Dan didn't do it."

"Do what, what are you talking about."

"Tell your boyfriend to get his story straight." Lucas handed the paper to Brooke.

"Luke, I swear, I had no idea. He was helping me, and I thought he was just helping me."

"He's the editor of the paper, you didn't think he wasn't getting a scoop?"

"Julian's not like that."

"You're sleeping with this guy aren't you."

Brooke was shocked. "That is so none of your business. And why would you even ask that."

"You're too quick to defend him, this guy has gotten to you."

"This guy….this guy…is not just some guy. He wouldn't do this."

"Really, how come there are facts in here you were asking about the other day."

"It doesn't make sense, Julian would've told me if something like this was happening."

"So Julian would've told you if he was getting information, false information against Dan and using as his own story before he printed it."

"Just give me some time, there has to be an explanation."

"Yeah, you're boyfriend is a fraud."

"Well beats the one who cheated on me….twice!"

"This is so not the same thing."

"Really? You lied, you're a lying liar who lies. And Julian, you're accusing him of lying. I don't see much of a difference, just a lot of gray areas."

"What is Dan going to think. He's still grieving over Keith being gone and now is being accused of killing him."

"Lucas, it's not that simple, there are…."

"There's what? Facts, witnesses, and evidence?" Brooke stayed silent. "Exactly, just don't ever talk to me, ever again." He walked away, throwing the paper in the trash.

Haley came over.

"I'd say what he was mad about, but I really have no idea. What happened?"

"I think Julian really screwed me over."

"What did he do, steal your story?" Haley laughed and stopped to see Brooke serious. "Seriously, he stole your story?"

"I thought he was helping me with facts about Dan and now there's a front page story about evidence linking Dan to killing Keith on the front page of the paper he writes for."

"Possibly someone else scooped him?"

"Julian told me he was putting all this stuff together in his apartment, not breathing a word to anyone about what he was doing."

"And I believe him. I'm not saying Julian is right and I'm not saying you're right. But talk to him."

"Did you talk to Nathan."

"He's still happy isn't he?"

Brooke looked at Nathan laughing with some of the team. "Good point. I don't want him to find out what Dan did on the front page of any paper."

"We can't hide him from the news."

"And Dan certainly isn't coming clean. He's bulling Peyton and I to giving him a rough draft so he can change it to make him not look guilty."

"What is the article saying?"

"We have a witness and Dan wants to make sure the witness won't talk. He's doing anything to make sure people don't find out the truth."

"Abby. I haven't found her yet, apparently she dropped off the face of the school planet."

"Without her, we look like two hungry news nerds looking for a hit story."

"Hey, you'll do great, let me know if you need anything. I'm gonna go to tutoring."

"Thanks Hales."

"Anytime Rockstar."

Brooke opened up her front door with Julian standing in front of her.

"Are you trying to prove a point by not leaving?"

Julian held up the paper. "When I have a front page paper taped my door, great, I did a good job. But when it's a story I didn't write and in red, of seems to be lipstick painted on the paper reading "Dick" on the front of it, it means I've done something that I don't know about."

"So how long were you scooping me out. Pretending to like me and pretending that I was special?"

"Okay, whatever I say will implicate me, so I'll let you do the talking."

"The front page of a paper you are an editor for has the story that I was working on and that you were helping me with. Or did you just need a couple of more facts to do your own big article?"

"I was helping you, there wasn't anything else."

"The article has your name on it. Mayor Kills Brother….New Evidence….by Julian Baker. How much more 'written by you' can it get."

"I didn't write, I don't know who did, but I didn't."

"Then Casper does some pretty nice work for being a ghost."

Brooke started to pace, not knowing what to say or to just throw Julian out. Finally she stood up straight, looking at Julian.

"You were the first…guy I ever really cared about."

"The first, as what I think it means?"

"If I had any idea you would turn out to be such a jerk, that night wouldn't have meant so much to me."

"It meant a lot to me too, I care about you, a lot."

"But not enough to tell me the truth."

"I am telling you the truth. I was researching a few things at the paper, someone came in, and before I would let anyone read what I was doing, I left." He paused, closing his eyes. "Now I know where I left my notes."

Brooke started clapping. "Great paper boy, now everyone's gonna know, and Dan will make some stupid story about how Keith meant so much to him and how all these 'accusations' are false and simply untrue. Give me a few minutes and I can jot down word for word of what he would say to the press."

"Obviously, you don't want me here, but I'm not going to stop carrying about you, Brooke. And Editor to Writer. The story is out there, you just have to get the facts straight."

Brooke fought off the tears and then dialed the phone.

"Abby, River court, one hour, be there." She hung up the phone and grabbed her purse and keys and ran out.

Brooke stopped the car at the river court. She saw Abby sitting in the middle, looking at the ground."

"Abby."

She started to back away, but saw it was Brooke. "You startled me."

"Thank you for meeting me, being out isn't easy."

"It's unbearable. Every second I think I'm gonna see Dan and he'll take me to jail or something."

"I need you reveal yourself in the article. Tell your story."

"I can't. It's hard enough to remember that day, seeing Dan pull the trigger…Keith falling on the floor, next to Jimmy."

"The story was printed in the college paper today. The story is out there."

"You printed the story?" Abby stood up, folding her arms.

"I didn't. It's a long story of who did, but it's only time before we have to prove that story to be right."

"I can't…my mom, my grandmother, everyone I've ever known will be at risk."

"We can hide you. I'll send you to my parents house in LA, you'll be safe."

"But you said putting me with your parents is like a death sentence with Hitler."

"I have no other options. It's a big house, they won't know you're there."

"Dan will find me, at school, in a random mall. He won't stop until he gets answers. Even telling you my story makes me look over my shoulder."

"Abby, you are the only proof. Do you want Jimmy Edwards picture in every yearbook to be cut out or rude words written on it because he was a troubled kid. And then Dan Scott's jersey up on the gym wall because everyone pegs him as a hero on the basketball court. Dan Scott is a coward. He saw nothing but hatred towards his brother and was never strong enough to truly stand up himself and he belittled Keith, and Karen and Lucas and Nathan, everyone he's ever met is tainted because of him. Don't do it for me or Peyton or even yourself. Do it for the kids that Nathan is gonna have and that Lucas will have…do it for them so they won't fall into this trap we all fell into. Take control."

"There's this place in Connecticut, my Aunt lives there. She said I could visit anytime."

"Dan will never find you. But you would have to tell her the real reason why you're there."

"Anything would be better then living in Tree Hill with fear and guilt that it's all gonna end badly."

"Just come with me, and I'll get your story."

Abby started to cry and back away, she pointed to something behind Brooke, who turned around. "Hi Dan."


End file.
